In busy weeks, it can be easy to miss the ‘small things’ that cheer us up – so it’s great to have the opportunity to think back and record them here!

* There being fewer leaves on the trees has one advantage – you can spot all the birds better 🙂 I’ve been enjoying watching robins and chaffinches this week. As I write, a Coal Tit is fluttering around our bird box.

* Meeting another dachshund when out walking Jamie 🙂

* Cute pictures of family life on DoodleMum, a blog I’ve recently come across.

* Jamie curling up on me like he did when he was a little puppy, and watching him play football!

I’ve been reading: I’m still on Northanger Abbey, but I’ve also been reading the Message version of the Christmas story in Luke, which gives a bit of fresh insight. You can find it here.

I’ve been wearing: My flowery Fatface skirt with tights. I’m sure it’s meant to be more of a spring garment but it’s so cheery 🙂

I’ve been watching: Django Unchained – brilliant! A great ‘in your face’ to racists and oppressors of the past and present, put together with humour, drama and passion.

I’ve been eating: Colourful stir fry with fish cakes and sweet chilli sauce 🙂 We get vegetables from Abel & Cole, and this week’s box included purple carrots, leeks, red cabbage and Cavolo Nero, which turned out to be a great (if slightly unusual) combination in a stirfry, with a few red onions and some noodles thrown in. So easy, so healthy, and sooo delicious! I also decided to try Fair Trade wine, which was really good. I got ‘Rambling River’ Sauvignon Blanc from Sainsburys. 

I’ve been visiting: Unless I admit to becoming a regular at the Royal Standard, I haven’t really been anywhere interesting this week…

I’ve been listening to: I believe by Natalie Grant, as part of my Christmas prep. Listen to it here.

Hope you’ve all had lots of ‘small things’ making you happy this week too 🙂

P.S. Sorry about the quality of the photos – it’s getting harder to take good snaps on my phone as the light gets worse…